About Us

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The purpose of the Division is to bring together scientists interested in Quaternary geology and geomorphology, to facilitate presentation and discussion of their problems and ideas, to promote research and publication of results in those fields of geology, and to advise and assist the officers and committees of the Society in matters pertaining to Quaternary geology and geomorphology.

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A history of QG&G 

compiled in 2000 by Rich Madole

The organization currently known as the Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology (QG&G) Division of the Geological Society of America was established on April 15, 1954. The organization was one of the first Groups, now called Divisions, to be formed within the Geological Society of America.  From the beginning, the organization has been one of the largest and most active groups, and for most of its history has grown and evolved steadily.  Few aspects of the organization have remained unchanged since its inception, except for its purpose and the unifying interest of the membership in geomorphology and Quaternary geology.

The Beginning

At its April 1954 meeting, the Council of the Geological Society of America adopted a recommendation to amend its bylaws so that “representative numbers of Fellows and Members from particular branches of geology, with the consent of the Council, may organize as Groups of the Society.” Geomorphologists were one of the first two groups to take advantage of the bylaws change. Anticipating that the bylaws would be changed, geomorphologists in the Society selected an ad-hoc committee consisting of W.C. Putnam, L.B. Leopold, R.P. Goldthwait, and A.N. Strahler to organize a geomorphology group. In February 1954, Strahler, acting in the capacity of “temporary Secretary,” wrote to the Secretary of the Society describing a letter that was being mailed to Fellows and Members whose major field of interest was geomorphology. The letter was intended to determine their interest in enrolling in a geomorphology group, and it also called for nomination of panel members and a nominating committee. The letter stated that “The desire of our group to organize and protect its own interests in a rapidly growing Society is too strong now to be defeated, as it was five years ago, by a few who reflect longingly upon the old days when the Society was a small, well-knit group.” By March 1955, the first slate of officers—Eliot Blackwelder (Chairman), J. C. Frye, (1st Vice-Chairman), A.N. Strahler (2nd Vice-Chairman), and R.P. Goldthwait (Secretary)—were elected by the Fellows of the Society who had enrolled in the Group.

Name Changes

During its 46 years of existence, the organization has been known by three different names.  Initially, it was one of two groups, referred to, respectively, as the Group on Geomorphology and the Group on Coal Geology. At that time, Groups comprised members from “particular branches of geology” and Divisions comprised members working in “fields covering the application of geology to other fields of endeavor.” Thus, the changes in the bylaws that led to the formation of the Group on Geomorphology also provided for the formation of the Division on Engineering Geology, as well as the creation of the various Sections of the Society. This organizational structure lasted for eight years before the Society amended its bylaws so that what had formerly been called Groups became Divisions. Beginning in 1963, the Group on Geomorphology became the Geomorphology Division of the Geological Society of America. At this time, there were only four Divisions: Coal Geology, Engineering Geology, Geomorphology, and Hydrogeology.

The third and final name change was initiated from within the Division, beginning with a recommendation from the Management Board at the annual meeting in Atlantic City in November 1969. In 1970, ballots were mailed to voting affiliates (all members, except for student associates) of the Division. The ballots contained three proposals: (1) change the Division name to be more inclusive, (2) change the time officers begin their terms, and (3) add a second choice (dual slate) for the office of Second Vice-Chairman. All three proposals passed by a large majority, although only a little more than half of the membership voted. Beginning in 1971, the Geomorphology Division became the Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division.

Membership

For most of its lifetime, the Division has alternated between being either the second or third largest of the GSA Divisions, vying mainly with the Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology Divisions for that position. Although Division membership fluctuated, it increased steadily from decade to decade, until the 1990s when it ended the decade with 10 fewer members then it had at the beginning of the decade. In 1957, two years after start-up, there were 350 members, and over the next 28 years membership grew at the rate of about 5% per year. Thus, membership doubled between 1957 and 1971, thanks to a spurt in growth from 637 to 717 members between 1970 and 1971. The next doubling required a similar number of years and also was attained during a growth spurt from 1191 to 1488 members between 1984 and 1985. An all-time high of 1551 members was attained in 1989, after which membership declined steadily to 1179 in 1995 before again increasing annually to close the decade at 1495.

Prior to 1977, membership in the Division was free of charge. Then, in June 1976, members approved, by mail ballot, a recommendation from the Management Board to begin charging dues in amount of $2 per year. Apparently, money issues generate greater membership participation because a whopping 628 ballots were returned, including 77 that voted to abstain. The members who voted against dues numbered 127. In spite of inflation, annual dues remained at $2 until 1988 when they were raised to $5. The third increase in annual dues came in the 1990s when they were raised to $8. 

Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony

The Division bylaws stipulate that it will hold an annual business meeting during the Society’s annual meeting and that the Division Management Board shall hold a meeting prior to the business meeting. Proposed changes to bylaws must receive Management Board approval, acceptance by voting affiliates of the Division, and ratification by the GSA Council. In practice, the voting affiliates present at the annual business meeting are considered to be representatives of the entire membership when a vote is required, such as for changes to the bylaws. In the early years, the annual business meeting was a luncheon meeting, which worked well when the Division membership was small. With the inauguration of the Kirk Bryan Award in 1958, the award ceremony became part of the annual luncheon-business meeting.

As the Division grew, the members attending the annual luncheon represented an ever-narrower cross-section of the total membership. By the 1980s, it had become increasingly difficult to find a room large enough to accommodate all who desired to attend the luncheon. In addition, the cost of the luncheon had risen to the point that it deterred many members and most students from attending. As Division membership increased, so did the length and complexity of the annual luncheon-business meeting, and with the addition of the Distinguished Career Award in 1986, the business meeting was on the verge of conflicting with the beginning of the afternoon technical sessions. In early 1987, Harvey Kelsey wrote a thoughtful letter to the Management Board, through the Division Secretary, suggesting that the Awards Ceremony be separated from the annual business meeting. He recommended that it be held at a time and place that would allow a greater number of members as well as friends and colleagues of award recipients to attend the ceremony. Finally, in 1989 the Management Board voted to end the tradition of an annual luncheon, and beginning in 1990, to have the business meeting/awards ceremony precede the Division “cocktail” party, which since its inception in 1984 had become a well-attended annual event.

The idea for the annual “cocktail” party was born in a breakfast diner in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday morning of the 1983 annual meeting. The Division can thank Gail Ashley and Tom Hamilton for the idea. They discussed their idea with then Secretary Rich Madole and John Costa, who also were at the diner that morning, and thus it was forwarded to become an agenda item at the next Management Board meeting. The principal reasons for a “cocktail” party were (1) the annual luncheon no longer provided much time or space for members to gather and socialize, and it had become too costly for most students, and (2) at the time, there were no planned events for the Wednesday night of the annual meeting. Consequently, the first annual Division “cocktail” party was held at the 1984 meeting in Reno, and was a huge success.  During the first few years, a variety of schemes were attempted to recover some of the party costs from the party-goers.  None of the schemes worked well, and were discontinued, as it became clear that the value of the event to the Division justified the use of Division funds to pay for the event.